Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4771, 11 October 1893, Page 3

Local & General.

Entertainment. — The Students of Truth Dramatic Club will perform The Rivals in the Social Hall, Madras street, this evening. Abbkst.— A boy, aged ten years, was arrested to-day on a charge of having killed, at the Show Grounds, a sheep belonging to Mr James Henderson, intend* ing to steal the carcase. Cricket.— The Ashley County first eleven went to Culverden to-day to play their annual match with the Amari County Club. The visitors will, as usual, be entertained at a ball in the evening. Bangioba Fbiendship Guild. — A pleasant musical evening was given in connection, with the above Society, on , Tuesday. The programme was contributed principally by members of the Guild, and there was a good attendance. At the close arrangement was made for holding a social gathering* Mutual Improvement Association.— The Woolaton Mutual Improvement Society met on Thursday last. The subject for diacuHsion was "An Evening with Tennyson." Mr M'Kinnon read a paper, and Miss C. Ellison and Messrs Nott, Ellison, Pearson and Yates gave selections from the works of the poet. Opening op the Boating Season. — This very popular event is to take place on Saturday, and the promoters assert that all that is required to make it a success is fine weather. The Clubs have been very busy getting their plant in order, and about seventy boats will take part in* the procession, in which will be the Lyttelton Bowing Club's Champion Four, who carried off the race at the late Christchurch Begatta. It is expected that the Kaiapoi Club will also be represented, the Union Bowing Club having offered to place boats at their disposal. Mr Lett, the inventor of the water cycle, will show the speed he can get out of the invention. Those members taking part in the procession are requested to observe Btrict punctuality. The Factobiks Act. — The local Factories Inspector desires to draw the attention of persons occupying a factory or workroom in which two or more persons are engaged, directly or indirectly, in working for hire or reward in any handicraft, or in preparing or manufacturing > articles for trade or Bale, and of occupiers of any office, building, or place in which steam or other mechanical power is used for the purpose of manufacture, &c, who have not registered, to the necessity of doing so at once. He states that he has found quite a number of unregistered placeß in this factory district, and the excuse has been ignorance of what constituted a factory or workroom. He desires it to be known that all, bakehouses situate in any city or borough, and all places where steam or other mechanical power is used, come under the Factories Act, but no fee is required unless three or more persons are employed. The penalty for non-compliance is .£lO. Theatre Botal.— Long before seven o'clock last evening the lower portion of the Theatre Boyal was crowded to excess, and half-an-hour later every seat in the dress-cirolelwas occupied, and the passages were full of people eager to witness the second production of Alone in London by Mr Bland Holt's company, and numbers of persons were unable to gain admission. From the tise of the curtain everything went like clockwork, and many little defects which were apparent on the previous night had been entirely removed. The various artists were entirely at home in their parts, and the enthusiasm of the audience was unbounded as scene followed scene. The many almost painful situations with which the drama abounds were rendered with great pathos, and the mirth-provoking scenes were productive of much amusement. The drama will be repeated this evening, when the company will make its last appearance for the present season, as it will leave for Wellington to-morrow. i | Dibect Veto.— An enthusiastic meeting i in connection with this queation was held i last evening in the Salvation Army bar- [ racks, when the Eev Mr Walker, the [ representative of the New Zealand AftiI ance, gave an address, the Army having 1 placed it 3 spacious hall at his disposal. ! Amongst those on the platform were the , Bey L. M. Isitt, Mr B. Clephane, and several Army officers. Ensign Osborne was in the chair, and briefly introduced the speakers, who were well received. Mr Walker spoke of the several Liquor Bills introduced into the House last session, and especially the Government; measure, known as the Alcoholic Liquor Control Act, which was placed upon the Statute Book. While it conceded that the people had a right to control the traffic, its provisions were such sb to effectively thwart popular control, and it was evidently enacted mainly in the liquor interest. A number of illustrations of this contention were given. The following motion was unanimously carried :— " That this meeting most emphatically records its protest against the Alcoholic Liquor Control Act lately passed by the New Zealand Legislature, and determines to use its most earnest effort to secure its repeal, feeling that its presence among the statutes of this Colony is a distinct blot upon them, being of a decidedly retrograde character, besides enacting licensing legislation entirely antagonistic to the control of the liquor traffic being placed effectively in the hands of the people." According to a report of the French Minister for Finance 148.808 families in France have claimed exemption from certain taxes recently voted by the Parliament on account of having seven or more children.